Meatloaf

This recipe is for Cullman - because he loves it. And there should be plenty left over for sandwiches.




Ingredients

2 pounds gound beef chuck (mince)
bacon
1 onion
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
Worchester sauce
salt, oregano, thyme, allspice, paprika, bay leaves

Instructions

1. Chop one large onion ( or 2 small) and saute in butter over low heat until onion is soft and translucent - leave onions to cool
2. put 2 pounds of ground beef chuck into a large bowl
3. add 1 cup bread crumbs to the beef
4. add 2 eggs beaten
5. add one tablespoon of all the spices listed except the bay leaves. Don't worry if you are missing any, add what you have
6. add 1 tablespoon Worchester Sauce
7. mix all the ingredients - use your hands but wash them
8. add the onions and mix again
9. Pat into the shape of a Rugby ball
10. put 2 bay leaves on top
11. drape 3 strips of bacon over your meatloaf
12. Cook in oven for 1 hour 20 minutes at 350 F
13. Take out and let it sit for 10 minutes

Houmous

Here it is. The best houmous ever, the recipe that puts all others to shame. So what's the secret to Kate's Houmous? Go light on the tahini and heavy on the garlic. This is best made in a food processor. I've made it in a blender but you will need to cut back the recipe by half ( or more ) so that it fits and the ingredients have room to blend.

Ingredients

3 Cans of chickpeas
3 teaspoons Tahini (ground sesame paste)
6 large cloves of garlic
1 1/2 lemons
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

1. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly. This is important or else the chickpeas will be bitter.
2. Place chickpeas in food processor
3. Add 3 teaspoons tahini
4. Peel and crush 6 cloves of garlic and add to mixture
5. Add juice of 1 1/2 lemons
6. Add 3/4 olive oil
7. Add 1 teaspoon cumin and some salt
8. Blend until mixture is like a smooth paste and taste

After tasting, if you think the houmous is too thick add more olive oil, blend and taste again. If it is still too thick, add the juice of another half lemon. If you like cumin, you can add a bit more of that too. The trick here is to keep tasting and keep adding until you achieve the taste and consistency you want.

Put in a bowl, sprinkle with cayenne pepper if you have it and drizzle olive oil over the top. It will keep for many days in the fridge and gets better with age.

Pimiento Cheese

This recipe for pimiento cheese which I love more than just about anything is for my son Leland, in celebration of the excellent results he achieved through persistence and hard work.

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese chopped into small chunks
1 peeled and seeded pimento pepper ( from a can or jar) chopped
3/4 cup best quality mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt

This is best made in a food processor with a large bowl but in a pinch, a blender will do

Put all the ingredients into the food processor and blend until smooth. If not creamy enough, add a small amount of mayonnaise until desired texture is achieved.

Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Roast Chicken

This recipe is thanks to Patricia Wells, perhaps my favorite cookbook writer who learned it from Joel Robuchon, one of France's greatest chefs. Wells recipes are delicious and easy to follow. If you only buy one book, buy one of hers. I've roasted hundreds of chickens hundreds of ways. This is the best. There's lots of timing and turning but its worth it.

Ingredients

1. Whole chicken - buy the best you can affort, preferably free-range and organic. Industrially raised chickens have horrible lives and taste horrible too.
2. Butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425F/220C

2. In a small bowl, combine about 5 tablespoons butter and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mash with a fork until the butter is like a smooth paste

3. Start at the neck end of the chicken (think about it) and put your finger between the skin and the flesh of the breast. Loosen the skin away from the flesh carefully and try not to tear it. Then push the softened butter up under the skin over the side of both breasts.

4. Place the chicken on its side in the roasting tray and roast for 20 minutes

5. Turn the chicken to the other side and roast for 20 minutes

6. Turn the chicken with the breast side up for 20 minutes.

7. Lower the heat to 375F/190C, turn the chicken breast side down for 10 minutes

8. Take out of the oven, let the bird sit for 10 minutes and carve.

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

A raunchy name (la puttana is a prostitute) for a delicious sauce from the slums of Rome that can be made quickly from canned goods. Keep these ingredients in stock and you will always be able to feed yourselves and others. A gutsy sauce that is good for late nights and hangovers.

Ingredients

Spaghetti
6 anchovies, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Chilli powder or cayenne pepper to taste
600 grams canned peeled plum tomatoes ( 2 cans )
2/3 cup black pitted olives, sliced
1 tablespoon of capers



Instructions

1. Put olive oil, chilli powder, anchovies and garlic in a large frying pan and cook at medium heat for two minutes, mashing the anchovies with a fork
2. Add the tomatoes, olives and capers and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently
3. Cook the spaghetti accordig to the packet instructions
4. Drain spaghetti and put into the frying pan and fry for 1 minute, stirring all the time
5. If your frying pan is not large enough, don't worry, just pour the sauce over the cooked spaghetti and stir rigourously (not much is lost compared to the last minute frying described in 4)
6. Serve immediately with parmesan

Spaghetti Vongole

Use the smallest, freshest clams you can find. The quality of the clams will "make or break" this dish.

Ingredients

Clams
Olive oil
White wine
Garlic
Flat leaf parsley
Spaghetti or linguine

Directions

Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Once the water is boiling rapidly, cook the pasta. In the mean time ...

1. Soak the clams in a large bowl of cold water for about an hour. Keep changing the water until it is clear. The clams will spit out sand. If the outside of the shell is dirty, scrub the clams with a brush.
2. Heat 3/4 cup of olive oil in a large pan
3. Add 3/4 cup white wine and 6 cloves of garlic that hae been peeled and sliced
4. When the mixture is hot and bubbling, add the clams, stir, and cover the pot with a lid
5. Cook on high heat until all the clams are open, stirring often
6. Add the chopped parsley and salt and pepper, stir and cook for 1 -2 minutes more

7. Pour the clam mixture on top of your spaghetti or linguine and serve immediately

You do not need cheese for this, or any other seafood pasta

Green Beans

Ingredients

Green beans
butter

Directions

1. Take the little ends off the top and bottom of the beans. This is boring so do it while listening or watching something interesting.
2. Bring a frying pan of water to boil
3. Immerse the beans in the water for 4 minutes. The beans should be bright green and still crisp. After 4 minutes pour out the water and set beans aside.
4. In the frying pan, melt lots of butter and let it get very hot but not start to smoke and burn.
5. Begin to toss the beans in the very hot butter and keep tossing until the beans begin to darken. It is important to keep the heat high. You can listen for the sizzle of the beans. Keep stirring for another 4 -5 minutes.
6. Add lots of salt and pepper, stir and serve

Aubergine & Feta

This is as easy as it is delicious.

Ingredients

2 - 3 aubergine/eggplants
Feta Cheese
Mint
Olive Oil
Lemon

Directions

Slice the aubergine into approx 1/4 inch slices
brush olive oil on both sides
Place on a baking sheet or tray
Bake in oven 350F/185C for approximately 15 minutes until soft. Keep an eye on the aubergine and don't let it burn
Take aubergine out of oven
In a bowl, place the following ingredients in layers, one on top of the other: aubergine, crumbled feta, mint leaves that have been diced, lemon juice, a little olive oil and salt and pepper.
Keep building up the layers until all the aubergine has been used up
This is good served at room temperature and will keep well in the fridge to be eaten later

A Potato Ricer

This is what a potato ricer looks like

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

Potatoes (Idaho or Yukon Gold variety are good)
Milk
Butter
Salt

Equiptment

Potato Ricer – electric mixers and food processors tend to turn the potatoes into glue. By hand is best
Vegetable Peeler

Directions

1. Peel the potatoes. Once peeled, the potato needs to be placed in a bowl of water where the potatoes are completely covered or they will turn brown quickly.
2. If the potatoes are large, cut in half right before cooking.
3. Put potatoes in large pot of water and bring to a boil then turn down the heat and let them cook at a low boil for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork
4. When the potatoes are soft and easily pierced, drain them in a colander ( if you have one) or just crack the lid of the pot open a bit and hold over the sink. Get as much water out as you can, the drier the potatoes, the better they will absorb the milk and butter
5. Gently heat a large piece of butter (the richer you like your potatoes the larger the piece) and a cup of milk in a separate pot.
6. Pour a small amount of the heated milk and butter into the potatoes and begin to mash with the ricer. Continue to add the liquid and mash until the potatoes are the consistency you like, soft but not soopy. Taste as you go along.
7. Add plenty of salt and taste again. You can also continue to add butter to taste.

Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients

Macaroni pasta
Cheddar cheese (aged - buy the good stuff)
Butter
Flour
Milk
Worchester sauce

Instructions

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil
2. Melt ¼ stick butter in saucepan
3. Add 2 tablespoons of flour to butter
4. Stir until mixed and continue to stir for 3 minutes. Keep the flame low and make sure the butter/flour mixture does not burn
5. Slowly add 1 cup of milk to mixture and continue stirring.
6. Add 1 tablespoon Worchester Sauce
7. Add ½ pound grated cheddar cheese
8. Season with salt and pepper
9. When water is boiling rapidly, add pasta and stir. Pasta should be done in approximately 7 minutes. Test. It should still be firm
10. Drain pasta in colander and add to cheese sauce
11. You can eat immediately or if you have time, sprinkle more grated cheese on top of mixture and bake for 15-20 minutes in a hot oven

Carbonara

Carbonara, the king of pasta. This is the one that every Hedges clamors for, that friends come over for. In short, this is our favourite meal.


Ingredients

1 package Spaghetti pasta
1 pound good quality bacon
Extra virgin olive oil
1 very fresh egg (important or you could get sick)
White wine (can be old)
Real grated parmesan cheese (buy the block and grate yourself)


Instructions

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil
2. Cut bacon into small pieces about ¼ inch
3. Fry bacon gently in pan with some olive oil
4. Add 1 cup of white wine and more olive oil and continue cooking bacon. Do not let bacon burn
5. Beat egg and set aside
6. Grate 1.5 cups of parmesan and set aside
7. When water is boiling rapidly, put the spaghetti in and stir
8. Spaghetti should take about 7 - 8 minutes. Test it. If it is cooked but firm, it is ready
9. Drain spaghetti and quickly add the following ingredients in the order listed - toss each ingredient well before you go on to the next: bacon, olive oil and wine mixture, egg, cheese, salt & pepper to taste
10. Eat immediately